Feedback from Table top discussions Group
Successes and Benefits
Ideas for Development of Protective Behaviours (PB)
Safer Start: Under 5’s
Reinforcing the Two Protective Behaviours Themes:
Training/networking for Staff All staff at children’s centres could be trained – including coffee shop staff! Clear delivery to all staff before anything else Any profession, nurses, doctors, everybody to have basic PB training More networking of all areas of PB and across age ranges Information sharing between organisations re the way PB’s has/hasn’t been used before
“We all have the right to feel safe all the time” “We can talk with someone about anything, even if it feels awful or small”
In settings having the 2 themes displayed and ‘How do you feel today’? Followed by ‘sometimes I feel …….’ Infant massage as a vehicle to implement the beginning s of PBs – the right to feel safe all the time and how we can ask permission before massaging/touching someone PBs as a process can be used proactively and reactively
Talking about/acknowledging feelings
Helping children to acknowledge physical feelings like hunger/wet pants and also emotional feelings Talk to children about feelings every day Use feelings box Emotional literacy – people rushing around, busy, so educate mums to step back and identify their own feelings.
Work with Families Stopping the need for any more detailed intervention – e.g. families with chaotic lifestyles A safer way to help people to experience self-realisation – that there is a need for engagement Can improve staff relationship and the way that staff
Link to early years strategic aims Highlight links with EYFS curriculum Develop Resources/PB approach Create visual display of feelings for children and adults, noticing parents and acknowledging how they might be feeling and applying it to staff also! From Birth teach physical feelings (Cold, hard, soft, tired, hungry etc.) And emotional feelings (feeling happy, sad, lonely etc.) Develop prompt cards, where are the old postcards, handouts etc.? Put feelings cards, pics onto walls etc. in all children’s centres Self portraits Do photos of real children, showing real emotions to use as flash cards Funding for resources Attend to the basics – cover travel and childcare costs to
Primary Age: learning Safety Skills
engagement with their client group Work with mums – low, depressed, benefitted from a referral to Protective Behaviours then onto Post Natal Depression (PND) group as they then feel empowered to participate in PND Triple P and PB go well together – support each other and develop further Work with families who have diagnosis around SEN, PB helps support the child’s feelings and adult feelings (grieving for child) PB’s can be used to support adult/family feelings How people feel about themselves can be unpicked Use sheet of own feelings, put on fridge talk to children about how mum is feeling e.g. angry with situation not child, help the child to identify their own feelings and acknowledge that children have feelings too
Successes and Benefits The Two Themes Isobel – (Carlton Hill PSHE lead) the two themes – start with these as the basis of PSHE work in future, puts into context for all children Younger children – The Right to Feel Safe is a good starting point Older – PB can be used to address presenting behaviours, self-reflecting on risk
enable parents to attend groups Increase publicity, including use of social media
Useful Resources ‘We're going on a Bear Hunt’ - Risking on Purpose, Protectively Interrupting, Masking feelings - illustrations show feelings worried etc. while words say 'We're not scared!' ‘Owl Babies’ - Babies feel safe when mum there and unsafe when gone - safety continuum, networks of support - got each other - what could they do to feel safe while wait for mum to return ‘Not Now Bernard’ - Unwritten Rules - Don't interrupt! ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ - Physical feelings - Feelings, Thoughts, Behaviour, Persistence, Protective Interruption. ‘Sometimes I Feel Sunny’ - Feelings are Feelings, Behaviour is a choice with an effect, Thinking can influence both ‘Scaredy Squirrel’ - as above ‘No Matter What’ - Theme 2 - coping with loss/death and talking about it! ‘I Feel Good About Myself’ - lovely little book to reinforce self-esteem and its ok to be me!
Ideas for Development 1. 2. 3.
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Whole school Protective Behaviours approach and training, needs to include all staff Teaching staff to understand that theory and evidence about PB helps learning and success. Staff training, how can it be fitted in for each year group to fit with new curriculum, include; MDSA’s TA’s Head teachers, designated, all teaching staff, school governors. Go to safeguarding governor, and offer support to them Go to head teachers briefing meetings
Identifying adults children feel safe with and knowing who could help in an emergency– a parent volunteer felt this was really practical and good for her child Can be flexible, safe network of people so important
What works about PB?
Importance of primary children learning safety skills It’s useful and positive because PB can work in a short time span very effectively and helpful, practical and simple Teaching children to problem solve about safe people, situations etc., this is really empowering for children One step removed – understanding impact on others Getting children to think about safety issues and adults (parents) helping them to do this Emotions faces – for developing emotional literacy, these were found to be really helpful having been given out on a Feeling Good, Feeling Safe course. Providing the language to talk about feelings. Naming emotion is/exploring facial expressions Helping to manager anger issues and disruptive behaviour, taking responsibility for behaviour Helps prevent escalation to restraint Risking on purpose – facilitating understanding of levels of risk – develops empathy It is a pictorial/creative tool for non-academic learners makes PB more inclusive safety planning – for individual/families/groups
Examples of Practice
ITF staff have undertaken PB training, work with whole family and use PB in their work.
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Get more parents involved - parent workshops – are possibly the most challenging School clusters – put PB training on for whole areas/communities Getting into Senco clusters Tying up to PHSE and SEAL to create a curriculum map across the school ITF – suggestion of a PB Strategy for those who are hard to reach/out of the school system and to develop and share practice resources for working with this client group. Partnership work – suggestion that Safety Net staff could work in partnership with ITF as we already take referrals for SNAP-ITS and Feeling Good Feeling Safe, especially if ITF will be working more with the younger age range Use PB in assessment work and whole family approach ITF needs support in engaging with a younger age range (KS2) when the early help hubs are introduced CAF Mentors use more in their work Domestic violence features increasingly in SNAP-ITS work, need to use PB as part of early intervention. PB work with young carers needs to be developed Resources, more visual stuff for schools for children and physical resources, e.g. books which people could borrow and posters are really helpful to put up in schools Make sure parents are aware – put brochures in school reception Link to other approaches e.g. risking on purpose linked with outdoors and nature, feeling safe linked to meditation and mindfulness More group/peer work with children School websites – link into Safety Net would be really helpful for parents Start Early - Going in to nurseries/reception to reach
Adolescents - Developing resilience and managing risk
Carlton Hill Learning mentor – did PB as a youth worker, worked with year 1 child on 1:1 basis Queens Par Primary uses PB in Playground Buddy training with KS2 children to explore how to manage/deal with assertive and aggressive children Also runs Year 4/5 single sex group work, delivering PBs with them, identifying gaps in social skills and relationships 1:1 work with EWS and then taking it into the classroom and working with the family SNAP/SNAP-ITS work by Safety Net uses PB to help children and young people to identify when they may be feeling unsafe e.g. bullying online and community situations
Successes/Benefits Useful elements of PB
Helping Hand with teenagers, to use if they are stuck out at night i.e. friends to call etc. Problem-solving e.g. pre-planning a night out Emotional literacy – foundation to work being effective Networks e.g. Youth hubs – peer support, reduce isolation, challenge each other, relationships are fundamental Professional Networks - Referring to other services who can help with specific issues Starting early with younger children – reducing the risk Using playful, fun activities Unwritten Rules - Group work in school challenging normalised behaviour and informing young people of e.g. legal side Empowerment of girls and improves young people’s selfconfidence Young People have a right to be heard
children early 22. BHCC to sign up as a city to Protective Behaviours
Ideas for Development Increase Marketing/Reach
More advertising of PB services and Network Meetings Develop Protective Behaviours into other areas, such as West Sussex
Develop Resources
Use a PB approach to address online safety training More age appropriate resources for 11 – 16 age range e.g. alternatives to helping hand and ginger bread man that are more relevant for older young people Work around self-esteem – linked to social media, body image, media, representation More focussed work e.g. around language, Role modelling and celebrity Challenge value of consumer culture, it’s what’s inside that counts Importance of link to sex and relationships education, selfharm and parents
Skills to avoid becoming victimised
Relevance to risks for adolescents
Supporting vulnerable families
Online Safety - Ask the young people what is new online CSE - Asking the question ‘ how would you know if you don’t feel safe?” able to fundamentally understand the concept Individual perception re relationship/grooming and understanding can be different according to gender, background, ethnicity, religion
Successes and Benefits Useful elements of Protective Behaviours
Clarity of safe vs non safe for parents with CP problems Good practice – having a strong relationship with the family Developing family emotional literacy
Training and Peer Support
More training for staff to use PB with older children Youth champions model e.g. LGBTU project and peer influence More Peer Mentoring – it’s effective and e.g. group work with males Teach kids and staff together – anti-bullying workshop and looking at school policies – drama classes and video
Ideas for Development Developing the approach across settings
Developing it in schools nursery/primary and secondary, Whole school approach PBs training and delivery in residential children’s homes Develop communication between teachers and children Focus on key transitions
Parent Feedback on Protective Behaviours
Increased awareness of own feelings Awareness of baby’s feelings Confidence, speaking out in a group, empowerment Transferability to a range of settings and situations Benefits are passed down to future generations Challenges entrenched societal beliefs (unwritten rules, should, stranger danger etc.) Teaching/role modelling feelings talk Recognising all feelings are ok
For specific vulnerable groups
PBs with children with ASD, social and communication disorders Develop for families with English as a second language via Interpreting services Pre-natal PB’s for vulnerable parents PB training for workers working with parents or children with disabilities/SEN Areas for development: vulnerable young people, fostering, LAC, sex education in traveller families where there may be cultural barriers, engagement with adults alongside/before the children
Resources and Process
More understanding, training and research
Successes and Benefits Safeguarding How does PB Help? Labelling of emotions/emotional literacy children & Benefits, reduces challenging behaviours and Young intervention lessens by adults people with Improves self esteem special Improves relationships with others needs/ disabilities Examples of Practice
Supporting families
Using visual resources, particularly for autistic students PB’s and internet safety, own programme, ‘Protect Me’ – within a school in Norfolk Growing up sessions - delivered within a residential school in Norfolk Have done with parents and children occupational therapists (Norfolk Fred Nicholson school)
Successes/Benefits How People have used Protective Behaviours or can see the benefits
Incorporate other tools, e.g. therapeutic life work PB as a gentler intro to sex education More group work offered More support resources needed Develop a clearer referral process for Protective Behaviours work More 1:1 PB’s after the group work – follow up Include PB in CAF training
Ideas for Development 1. Working development group, involving different local organisations, and national partners via skype 2. Facilitate a newly developed programme locally and nationally to run out into special schools etc. 3. Sharing outreach work between organisations 4. Whole School approach - Staff in special schools introducing PB at coffee mornings, to governors and trustees and to parents and ch/yp to explain what we will be delivering and how 5. Written into policies and procedures, curriculum etc. 6. Development of appropriate shared resources (looking at different communication systems) 7. Re- develop Feeling Good Feeling Safe for parents of children with disabilities 8. Adapt the basic communication that we train non- verbal CYP – i.e. Encouraging yes, no rather than please and thank you 9. Get staff working with children and young people with disabilities trained up 10. Explore funding to develop all of the above
Ideas for Development
Safety Net should be funded to deliver more free training in schools ( evidence from today proves its effectiveness)
experiencing domestic abuse
Early mentor in a school is 4 weeks into a PB programme - Children and young people have been able to identify that they do have anger issues – body signals (Early Warning Signs) are really helping with this Family support worker in East Sussex, takes referrals from social care – very interested in example of EPAP services, using PB with high risk families, links to lots of court ordered work, themes around domestic violence and learning disabilities, thinking about how to use PB with children who have experienced dv through group work Inclusion co-ordinator at Moulsecoomb primary, has delivered PB in school, enjoyed the presentation from St Mary’s about the whole school approach, feels it should be a whole school approach and is especially useful for Year 6 transition Chair of Brighton & Hove LSCB – domestic homicide reviews, CP Plans, LAC – disproportionately high number of children registered because of emotional abuse and neglect. Link to MASH. What he has gained here is an understanding of creative thinking that services can use. “one of the best conference to understand the benefit of early intervention “ Police school liaison officer from Worthing – PB is a learning tool that she will take back, has gained ideas and tools she can use in the classroom Roundabout children’s centre – examples of PB use during a challenging incident of Child Protection – she did a helping hand exercise, & talked about appropriate touch, showing parts, child disclosed how he had hurt himself. Avoided the CP route and gave child the confidence to talk about it – Worker was very happy to receive the training
It is a safer more effective programme to work with young vulnerable parents who at risk of losing babies Train all school officers – this is a free service, which covers all Sussex schools Continue partnership approach between RISE and Safety Net around use of PB in domestic abuse 1:1 and group work
EPAP Team – running a course for parents, mums and dads – who believed that feelings don’t matter, messages from when they were children, they took on board the messages that they are allowed to have/feel their feelings and their children are too RISE – a lot of the staff have attended PB training and it is used in work with parents and children who are experiencing, or have experienced domestic violence
Successes & Benefits Supporting Children & Young People with mental health issues
PB is a really helpful model for talking about feelings, emotions and the link between feelings, thoughts and behaviour to see that there are different choices that we can make A tool for self-regulation/management and selfdevelopment, not focussing just on the victim Peer mentoring and support really works with children and young people It is a process for workers too - the more you do it, the more you learn each time Better understanding of mental health and early help, developing capability of existing resources Workers using PB and creating professional networks to share practice Brighton & Hove has lots of people trained in PB awareness has been raised to create a common language and approach which can be helpful for people moving between settings
Ideas for development
Successes & Benefits Creating a safe environment
Importance of workers and volunteers also feeling safe PB can be used to inform the values and ethos of an organisation
Developments must be affordable More priority in schools for Protective Behaviours as a mental health prevention tool Develop professional networks, e.g. attending Safety Net PB Network meetings Training, support, consultation for mental health workers Counsellors trained – volunteers – facilitate groups CPD – shadowing practitioners and partnering Useful web-sites publicised e.g. safety net, www.safety-net.org.uk www.pbpeople.org.uk; www.empower-plus.co.uk www.asknormen.co.uk www.dotcomcf.org www.childmentalhealthcentre.org Northamptonshire Shoe Box Resources www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/Educatio nandLearning/sen/shoebox/Documents/PDF%20Documents /final%2008%2003%2012.pdf
Ideas for Development
Work as a team on your individual/organisational values and ethos, make it explicit rather than an unwritten rule Sense of connectedness to fellow team members - this links
- Helping staff and volunteers to feel safe
Opportunities for networking, e.g. team meetings, team planning days Know who you can talk to in your organisation, who are your networks of support? Helps inform what projects to get involved in, prioritise Choice/autonomy in relation to organising own workload and using own strengths The PB Framework supported a worker to manage uncertainties of developing a new programme
to “relatedness” that Stephen and Robin talked of – and could be achieved by some/all of the following: Knowledge of specific information & sources of knowledge “Work shadow-ships” in other teams, i.e. spending day/s with a different team Social activities that bring you together Regular team meetings Knowing what others are doing Knowing each other’s strengths and areas of expertise (so able to develop more explicit networks of support) Reinforce links and parallel working between other contexts e.g. home/school. This is building on idea of ecological model and wanting to extend idea beyond existing project in Safety Net where this happens Think about how PB links into organisational processes, e.g. supervision, policies and procedures
Challenges to Implementation
Worker Constraints Working space time and money for staff training, social workers don’t get time to implement. Persuading some staff that it matters is worth doing. Lack of knowledge and understanding may make people resistant. Money for the basics, like room space and crèche. Time and opportunity to share good practice, Engaging Families Engagement is the first hurdle, especially hard to reach families. Having a clear referral process into the work Families with different learning styles and abilities, e.g. Levels of literacy. Unwilling participants if families required to do the work, families that don’t like each other on a course. Need to allow people to feel safe and keep quiet until ready.
Language Language that is acceptable, language barriers because of age, cultural differences. Some concepts/language does not translate into other languages and cultures. English as a second language. Need for bi-lingual courses and tools for use with other languages Resources and Funding Need more resources for different age groups and abilities Appropriate resources for parents of children with special needs Funding to build resources and spread the benefits of the programme Session plans to make delivery easier in different settings